Author Archive for: Allan Donald

Introduction Substance use disorders have undergone a stark transformation over the past decade. Where once singular drug dependency was the focal point, an insidious pattern has emerged—individuals increasingly combine multiple substances, often with devastating results. In New Jersey, this phenomenon—known as polysubstance abuse—has reached an alarming scale. The interplay between opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, and alcohol

Introduction New Jersey is a microcosm of America’s demographic evolution—rich in ethnicities, languages, and lived experiences. In such an intricate mosaic, addiction treatment that overlooks cultural nuance is, by default, incomplete. Cultural competency is no longer a supplementary approach; it is a clinical necessity. As opioid use disorders, alcohol dependency, and behavioral addictions transcend racial

Introduction Addiction recovery is no longer solely the domain of sterile clinics and institutional walls. In New Jersey, a paradigm shift is underway—one that emphasizes healing not in isolation, but through community. As opioid use disorder and substance abuse continue to claim lives and fracture families, the state is increasingly leaning into grassroots, community-based solutions

Introduction The state of New Jersey continues to grapple with a deepening addiction crisis that transcends socioeconomic and demographic lines. With opioid overdoses and substance abuse disorder cases escalating annually, the traditional dichotomy between public safety and public health has begun to blur. Law enforcement officers and first responders now find themselves not only enforcing